Seekers recognizes that any member of the community may be called upon by God to give us the Word, and thus we have an open pulpit with a different preacher each week. Sermons preached at Seekers, as well as sermons preached by Seekers at other churches or events, are posted here, beginning with the most recent.
Click here for an archive of our sermons.
Feel free to use what is helpful from these sermons. We only ask that when substantial portions are abstracted or used in a written work, please credit Seekers Church and the author, and cite the URL.
“Waiting Abundantly” by Kolya Braun-Greiner
July 30, 2017
Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
1 Kings 3:5-12
Psalm 119:129-136
Romans 8:26-39
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
We’ve been hearing a lot of seed stories from the bible this past month. Some testimonials during recent worship gatherings at Seekers also seemed like seeds of faith stories, holding potent and unexpected outcomes. Last week Larry shared his faith journey from what sounded like a narrow faith, then through a long dry spell to an inclusive faith here at Seekers. It illustrates that God does not give up on us. Larry’s “seeds of faith” story inspired me to share a similar experience I had when as a teenager coming from an “unchurched” nuclear family, a high school friend introduced me to the “4 Spiritual Laws” created by the Campus Crusade for Christ. I felt yearning to believe, and a kind of warm security seemed to be available. I was intrigued but dubious, so my friend invited me to go with her to a Christian “rally” with Josh McDowell as the speaker. A little helpful background about me – I’ve been fascinated by evolution since I was in 5th grade when I asked my librarian mother “What is the study of how things evolved?” She said paleontology, so I made a bee-line for the library and poured over the Time-Life book on Evolution for my 5th grade report on Trilobites. Sometime I’ll show you my Trilobite fossils, the first creation having eyes to see, 500 million years ago. Back to Josh McDowell – he was preaching on a run, when suddenly he began to talk about evolution. My ears perked up and when he said “The earth is only 5,000 years old and the bible proves it,” well then my interest this sort of Christianity died on the vine right there.
“Weeds” by Larry Rawlings
July 23, 2017
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Larry helped us reflect on the importance of weeds, as suggested in Jesus parable. He reminded us that, in a corn field, wheat is considered a weed. Larry suggested that in our lives and our community we need to let the “weeds” grow with the intended planting until both are ready for the harvest. The full text of this sermon is not available.
“Finding My Place” by Peter Bankson
July 16, 2017
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
INTRODUCTION
Our gospel lesson for this week, “The sower went to sow some seed…” is one of those well-worn parables that often invokes more old memories than fresh insights.
When the disciples ask Jesus what he was trying to say when he talked about those different kinds of soil, he gets quite specific:
“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
“Confession and Assurance” by Ken Burton
July 9, 2017
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Scripture: Romans 7:15-25a
I’m not much of a fan of the Apostle Paul, so I appreciate his comment in First Corinthians that it’s following Christ that matters, not following Paul. From my modern perspective, I find Paul’s acceptance of slavery as a social institution and his devaluing of women totally unacceptable and inconsistent with the apostle’s teaching regarding God’s abiding love for all. But, despite those reservations, I have chosen this morning to work with the passage from Romans 7 which is today’s epistle lection. I have made that choice for several reasons. First, it is one of a handful of texts from the Pauline epistles where the apostle uses the first person singular and thus appears to be speaking about his own spiritual condition. Second, the passage has a universal quality about it, addressing the human condition generally even as it is cast in the first person. And finally, and perhaps most important, the passage speaks to me. It feels directly relevant to where I am right now on my own journey.
“Is it Still Good?” by Deborah Sokolove
July 2, 2017
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Scripture: Jeremiah 28:5-9
There is a lot of prophesying going on these days. Turn on the TV or the radio or read Facebook or your email, and people will tell you that the current President will or won’t be impeached; there will or won’t be widespread destruction from climate change; there will or won’t be war with North Korea or Russia or some other country; millions will or will not lose their access to health care; this or that bill will or won’t be enacted by Congress; this or that law will or will not be struck down by the Supreme Court; and on and on and on. Some mornings when I read the newspaper there are more articles about what might happen than any actual news about what has already happened.
Who should we believe? Whose voices should we listen to? How do we know who is a false prophet, and who is speaking the true Word of God?